


Enigmatic

by GretchenSinister



Category: Rise of the Guardians (2012)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-05
Updated: 2019-02-05
Packaged: 2019-10-22 16:10:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 504
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17665802
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GretchenSinister/pseuds/GretchenSinister
Summary: Original Prompt: "Based on this tumblr post (http://vicfangirlguide.tumblr.com/post/37285374844/bizarre-victorian-fact-of-the-day)North of all the Guardians knows how it feels to not be believed in; not to the same extent that Jack was, of course, but in England from 1790-1843, no one believed in him.Granted, he could go to other countries, but the fact that one whole country just stopped hasd to hurt."That tumblr post that the prompt links to doesn’t seem to exist anymore.A conversation about belief between Jack, North, and Sandy.





	Enigmatic

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted on Tumblr 12/18/2013.

“You? Not believed in?”  
  
“Was just one country, for only fifty-three years,” North explains. Jack raises his eyebrows. He had thought he had simply misinterpreted Sandy’s signs as they conversed. It seems impossible to him that  _North_ , of all people, could lose so many believers. And imagining all that comes with that—the being walked through, the sense of loss—is even more impossible. But then again, North had had other places he could go. The world even then hadn’t been as empty for him as it had recently been for Jack.   
  
Jack says something to this effect, and North smiles a little. “Do you think it was that easy?” he asks. “That I could just avoid the place I knew I would be walked through? Yes! That happened.” His voice goes quiet. “Many times. Knowing that there were times and places when this did not happen was not such a great comfort.  
  
“But you see, Jack, I could not just stay away from England during that time. My situation was different from yours, though not quite in the way you are thinking. By that time I knew well what my center was, and I was very proud of my place as a Guardian. Selfishly, I did not stay away from England because I knew if I was not around at all, there was not much of a chance that the children there would start believing again. Less selfishly—or at least I think so—I stayed so I could still protect the wonder in children. They do not all have to believe for us Guardians to do our duties for all of them.  
  
“Consider Sandy!” North gestures to the small man. “Many have not heard of him, or think of him as metaphor, or concept. Yet he brings dreams to all.” North frowns for a moment. “Actually, Sandy, perhaps things are somewhat different for you? You act more universally than the rest of us…”  
  
Sandy smiles enigmatically, which, as Jack had begun to notice, was generally how he tended to smile.  
  
“Hmm. Well, consider yourself, Jack. Even before you were Guardian, you did your best to bring joy and fun to children. And that is what I am trying to explain. Though Santa was not believed in, wonder was still necessary. I may have not brought presents, but the more important part of what I do, I did.”  
  
“So how did they start believing again?” Jack asks.  
  
“Oh, it started with one child, as it always does,” North answers.  
  
The trio is silent for a long moment, until Jack asks one final question: “If we’re still responsible for our centers even without believers, does that mean we can go on without any? But last Easter…”  
  
“We cannot keep the forms we have without believers,” North explains. “But we would not cease to exist. We would become different. That is all I know. Maybe you know more, Sandy?”  
  
Sandy nods, but doesn’t go into any more detail, the enigmatic smile returning to his face.

**Author's Note:**

> Comments from Tumblr:
> 
> bowlingforgerbils reblogged this from gretchensinister and added: This is why I love this fandom so much, y'all. Even if you stay within canon movieverse (or bookverse), there is so much to explore in regards to belief. I really liked how you touched on that here, Gretchen.
> 
> whentheoceanmetsky said: Ahhh I really love this. You don’t really see these three interact that much together. It’s nice.


End file.
